Totentanz
by Misyrisan
Summary: Lyra didn't ask to be dragged away from District 7 and sent into the Arena, but she was. And now she has to fight to survive more than she ever had before, this time in the Hunger Games. But the Games are never simple, and she is at the mercy of the game-makers. Let the 31st Hunger Games begin.


**A/N**

**I remember that I once submitted a tribute to one of those interactive stories that used to be around in the Hunger Games section maybe two years ago on a different account. The story was taken down when the site went through quite an extreme removal of all the SYOTs on the site, but my tribute, Lyra, from District Seven, was going to be second in the Games as stated by the author. I've wanted to do some sort of story for her ever since, and now since I've been getting into fanfiction writing once more I decided now was the time to do so.**

**But that was just my inspiration, everything basically changed while I was plotting out the first chapter.**

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**_Totentanz_**

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District Seven had always been Lyra's home. The girl had no choice but to stay within the boundaries of the electric fence that kept the citizens within the boundaries deemed 'safe' by the Capitol. With both Peacekeepers and a fence that almost always ran with a strong electric current guarding the way out, no one wished to attempt to escape anyway.

The only time anyone could ever leave the District was through two ways. Official visits to the Capitol and the Hunger Games. The latter was an option no one wanted to take, but for two unfortunate children every year, it was something that led them to their likely demise.

The District had not had a victor for almost fifteen years. The past few had been celebrated by the career Districts, and as expected, Two was the one with the most frequent wins.

Five years before, Lyra's friend been chosen at the Reaping, soon after her twelfth birthday had occurred. Every day was spent regretting how she had not volunteered for her. But if she had volunteered and been killed in the Games, there would be no one to help her elderly mother anymore.

And today came the day everyone dreaded. While those residing in the Capitol were excited to know that their favourite time of the year was coming around yet again, the people of the Districts dreaded it, knowing that today two families would close themselves away from the world to never be the same again. Even in the career districts, where wins were frequent and children volunteered every year, at least one child was going to return in a wooden box.

Lyra scrubbed the dirt and grime of the past week away from her body. She had two hours until she would set off to the square, to have her identity checked and to enter the area designated for 17 year old females. This was a yearly routine, the only thing changing being her age.

In the next room was her mother, laying on her bed as the years ate away at her. Her age, 59, was hard to achieve for many residents. But the strangest thing was the age she had had Lyra at. Most parents had their children at early years, normally in their twenties or thirties. Old enough to see them live through the Reapings.

She contemplated her chances for being chosen. This year there had been a shortage of food, and the prices had went up significantly. Between working harder than she ever had in the forests and the occasional coin that was thrown her way by the richer people of the District, she had barely been able to feed her family. As a result she had to take out tesserae. It wasn't a lot, but it was all that the poorer families could ever get.

"_You don't have to do this" _her mother's words rang in her head. Lyra was about to set out to claim and collect her rationing for the year. This happened every time, it always had for the previous five_ "You're the only thing I have left in the world. I don't want you taken away from me"_

"_If I don't do this, mother, we'll starve. I'd rather take my chances at the Reaping than to go hungry" _she retorted. Nothing Lyra's mother said would dissuade her from this decision. It seemed so inconsequential to Lyra, she wondered why her mother even cared about her taking out the tesserae. If it meant they didn't starve to death, there was no harm in it. Plus, the chances of her name being drawn were slim; she only had her name in there fifteen times

Lyra stepped out of the metal basin and reached for a towel to dry herself on. She wrapped it around her and walked to her bedroom to change into the outfit she had prepared for herself. She stared at it in slight hatred as she quickly dried her hair. It was new, as in the past year she had had a sudden growth spurt which rendered her unable to fit into her dress of four years. The material was dyed verdant-green cotton, made in District 8 like most other clothes in Panem. Lyra threw the towel to her bed and picked up the dress, running her fingertips across it and feeling its rough texture.

From further away, in the Square, she heard the chime that signalled twelve. She had an hour to arrive there, along with her mother, who was still certain that Lyra was going to be drawn. She shook her head at the thought of 'winning' the lottery and slipped into the dress almost effortlessly. She pulled a pair of black flats from under her bed and hastily put them on her feet.

She looked at herself in the cracked, dirtied mirror that was nailed to the wall next to her bed. Her hair was cut short so to not get tangled in the trees she worked in, and standing out on her chiselled face were her eyes, a hazel-green colour matching the chestnut brown hair she possessed. She didn't feel beautiful, but her mother always made a point to tell her that she was.

"We have to go, dear" her mother called from downstairs. Lyra tore her eyes away from the mirror and hurried to the bottom floor and left the house.

They did not live too far away from the square. It took around an hour to walk there, which was nothing compared to some other people. Their house was wedged between the poorer area of the District and the merchant's area, meaning the people there had no nickname for where they lived. If other people did, they didn't know about it.

Lyra entered the designated area quickly and quietly, not wanting to cause a hassle in the middle of the busy square. Peacekeepers lined the streets, each armed with a weapon, poised and ready to shoot anyone who attempted to run away from the Reaping. As always, no one dared to avoid attending, so the square was full of people.

The two mentors sat next to the mayor with a hollow look in their eyes, undoubtedly tired of mentoring so many tributes to only see them die soon after. Everyone in the district knew their names; the male, Thomas, had been a morphling addict for years and had only quit it seven years prior, not from his own choosing. The female, Mania, was the District's previous victor, who had won her games by hiding for most of it, and leaving the others to starve. It was a classic tactic that had been played too many times, yet every time it was used it seemed like new, and the Capitol ate up the story regardless.

Being 17, she was one of the closest to the front, and could see the escort clearly. This year it was a new one, who clearly hadn't been told a thing by the previous one as she was dressed as a tree, with a comically-sized green wig for leaves and an outfit made of what appeared to be actual tree bark. The moment Lyra saw this, she scoffed. As if using the District's hard work in an outfit was ever going to win their favour.

"_As if the old one wasn't ridiculous enough. These people are the laughing stocks of the Districts" _she thought as the woman tottered like a young child heading to a present towards the microphone in the centre of the stage. She tapped on it several times, making a headache-inducing ringing noise echo around the square, and then coughed to clear her throat.

"Hello, hello, hello District Seven!" She exclaimed happily, "I'm Thalia, the new escort!" there was a chorus of snickering from the mixture of her accent and outfit. Other people were taking person offense to it and there was a brief period of muttering amongst them before they realised the Peacekeepers would do something if they continued.

Thalia grimaced at her unkindly welcome, but continued nonetheless, her cheerful demeanour unfaltering as she spoke "Happy Hunger Games! And may the odds be ever in your favour" she looked around, expecting a celebration, but continued when she was now given one "We have a film from the Capitol for all of you" she clapped twice and the large screen that had been placed in front of the Justice Building sparked to life, displaying the same propaganda that had been shown for years. No one uttered a word through it except the escort, who seemed to know the words off by heart.

"Now, onto the lottery" Thalia announced as soon as the screen faded to black. Lyra sighed and wondered who would be the one to have their name drawn this year. Last year both tributes had been thirteen, So poorly fed that they could barely wield an axe, and instead worked in different parts of the District to primary lumber cutting. They didn't last very long at all in the arena, both being killed simultaneously by the same tribute soon into the bloodbath.

Thalia jabbed a slender arm into the girl's bowl and rummaged around in it for several moments. The entire square was silent, each person holding a breath and hoping it wasn't going to be them. And for all but one girl, it wasn't them.

"Lyra Fox!" she exclaimed in the microphone, her voice becoming slightly hoarse from all the whispering and shouting she had done in the very little time she had been there.

Lyra looked around, her mind denying that her name had just been drawn, hoping desperately that someone else in the District had that name. Maybe someone would step out, maybe someone would volunteer. Thoughts of denial began to rush through her mind. And then a scream from the back, and Peacekeepers holding back a hysterical woman that was undoubtedly her mother.

"Lyra? Dear, come out" the escort called, looking directly the crowd that had parted to let her out. She couldn't run away from this, so she took a breath and began to walk forward, towards the stage. Her mother began to quieten down, but Lyra knew better than to expect it to be from choice. Two peacekeepers came from the sides and made sure that she headed straight to the stage. The moment she began to walk up the stairs they close the way.

"My, my, you look like quite the tribute" Thalia encouraged under her breath as the people began to settle down.

"And you look like quite the bitch" Lyra muttered, scowling at the woman. Behind the rows, adults muttered among each other about how they had "Lost another good kid to the Games"

"Well then" Thalia started, clearing her throat once more, seemingly oblivious to the remark the tribute had just said to her, "Onto the boys"

She spent an equal amount of time, if not more, on choosing the male tribute as she did for choosing the female. Finally she pulled out a slip from the bowl and removed the black tape the sealed it shut. She returned to the microphone and announced in a clear voice, "Rowan Ivo"

There was shuffling among those in the area marked for the 18 year old males, and a hardy looking boy walked forward. As he approached the podium more, Lyra observed his face. She had seen him before, he worked in the same part of the forest as her. She was there when he lost several fingers on his left hand to a clumsy worker, three years before now.

He nodded towards her as the two met eye to eye, he too recognising the other from work.

"Well, shake hands" she insisted. Lyra stuck out her left hand and was met by Rowan's right one, and they shook with tight grips as the Panem anthem started to play in the background. All the while, Thalia smiled gleefully, and once they had acknowledged each other and the anthem had finished she ushered them inside the Justice Building to say their final goodbyes.

Lyra had only been inside the building once, to take out tesserae earlier in the year. The interior was made entirely of oak wood, with the furnishings made out of pine and soft fabric from elsewhere. There was a strong smell of Capitol perfume circling the air, and Lyra saw Rowan cough from the stench of it, making a gesture towards Thalia.

The two were separated into different rooms and locked inside by Peacekeepers. Lyra waited for her mother to enter the room, and braced herself for whatever would be said towards her.

The door was unlocked again several minutes later and several Peacekeepers escorted her mother in. She was much calmer than before, wanting to spend as much time as she could get with her child.

"You shouldn't have put your name in for the extra food. I'm so sorry that this had to happen to you" she said solemnly, sitting down on a chair. Lyra nodded.

"I know. But I promise that I'll come back, and we'll live in the Victor's Village" she assured her, forcing herself to smile. She too took a seat, sitting opposite her mother.

"I don't want you to go through all that"

"It's the only way I'll come back alive. Just… just trust me, okay? I'm going to win for you" she promised, hugging her mother tightly. The woman reached into her pocket and handed her daughter a necklace with a small golden leaf attached, something that had been in her family for generations.

The Peacekeepers returned and pulled her away, and she began to scream her goodbyes to Lyra before they were separated. She wondered if she could fulfil her promise to her mother, and she became determined to do so. She looked at the necklace for a moment before putting it around her neck and getting ready to leave the premises.

Soon after, Rowan had said all of his goodbyes and the two were allowed out again and were taken to the train station from the back of the Justice Building. Except for several Peacekeepers and Capitol photographers anxious to get pictures, no one was there to say goodbye to them.

Lyra took one last look at her home before stepping on board the train, doubting if she were to ever see it again, if she were ever to smell the familiar scent of pine needles or the stickiness of tree sap in the autumn. But she knew that if she were to return, it would be as a changed woman.

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**Biggest challenge for this chapter? Probably finding a suitable surname for Lyra, because I wanted one that fitted her first name, but didn't seem out of place with the District. But now that that horror is over and done with, I've the trouble of designing an outfit that isn't a tree. If you managed to read this far without closing fanfiction forever, that's absolutely amazing and I am astounded. **

**I should be updating the next chapter in hopefully under two weeks. Also, I'm determined to finish this fanfiction, which is something I've said so many times without being true to it. But yes, I hope I do finish this.**


End file.
